One of the most crucial phases of the software development life cycle is testing. Software testing is now primarily done using two methods: automated and manual.

Since both strategies have benefits and drawbacks and are not completely interchangeable, most QA teams expertly combine them. We'll go into great detail about manual testing. So, let's go back to the beginning and review the fundamentals of manual testing.

breaking barriers: debunking common misconceptions about manual testing

Definition Of Manual Testing

Definition Of Manual Testing

What is manual testing? Manual testing is the process of examining and using software from the viewpoint of the end user in order to evaluate its quality, find any flaws, and identify potential vulnerabilities.

Manual testing relies on human actions, as opposed to automated testing, which uses software to conduct tests.

Often Held Myths About Manual Testing

Often Held Myths About Manual Testing

The profession of a manual tester first emerged quite some time ago, and many myths have developed around it. We will dispel the most widespread myths right now.

Manual Testing Is Easy

It's most likely the myth that is told the most. The conventional wisdom holds that anyone can conduct tests.

Could you permit me to be wrong? Testing by hand is a form of art. Testing is not as simple as clicking a button at random as some may believe; instead, it takes a specific mindset and set of abilities.

A manual tester needs to possess many qualities, such as extraordinary thinking, intense attention to detail, an obsession with product quality, and knowledge of various facets of software development. Professional manual testers are not everyone's cup of tea.

Manual Testing Is Out-Of-Date

These days, a lot of people are adopting this false belief. Automated testing will soon completely replace manual testing since it is now outdated.

The foundation of the QA process is manual testing. Testing that is automated would never replace it. Automated testing only enters a game after manual testing has contributed to the creation of a stable product.

Without manual testing first, automated testing is not feasible.

Manque Programmers Choose The Testing Profession

While many manual testers successfully master programming to comprehend all facets of software operation and advance to a new level, it's important to note that not every programmer can become a good tester.

Testers Only Begin Working On The Stage After Development

There is a belief that manual testers spend the majority of their time doing nothing and then start working. It's a mistake.

Should some businesses really employ this strategy, the project faces serious issues. There is a significant risk to the timeliness and quality of the final product when a QA team is involved. To ensure they have enough time to review documentation, assess risks, and create test cases, testers need to start working as early as possible.

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Manual Testing Process

Manual Testing Process

In order to conduct thorough and expert testing, the majority of manual testers typically set up their workflow as follows:

Requirement Studying

To ensure that the QA process is successful, manual testers need to familiarize themselves with the requirements.

They are, therefore, able to comprehend the purpose, guiding principles, primary features, and potential weaknesses of the software. With this information, testers can create better test cases and find more defects. User stories and project specifications aren't always accessible, though.

In order to understand how an application should function in this situation, manual testers should be more creative and consult additional information sources.

Drawing Up Test Cases

After becoming familiar with the project requirements, manual testers begin creating test cases by utilizing a variety of test design techniques.

Since test cases outline the sequential steps for a specific function or scenario testing, they serve as instructions for manual testers. They should be fairly specific. As a result, additional testers won't need to ask clarification questions in order to complete your tests.

An Excel document is still sometimes used by manual testers to store their test cases. But there are a number of case management tools out there that can make creating, storing, and managing test cases much easier.

Also Read: Maximize Testing Efficiency: Boost Manual Tester Performance by 20%

Test Conduction And Bug Reporting

Manual testers begin conducting tests after creating all of the test cases and setting up the testing environment.

Manual testers must use a bug-tracking system to record bug reports if they find any during testing. In-depth reproduction instructions, an expected result, an actual result, and pertinent attachments (screenshots, screen recordings, etc.) must all be included in the bug reports.

As a result, a developer can precisely identify the bug's essence and swiftly replicate it.

Analysis Of Testing Results

After testing is finished, manual testers typically analyze to gather valuable metrics that can be used to plan future actions and make the appropriate decisions.

If you use one of the many test case management systems, it only requires a few clicks.

Types Of Manual Testing

Types Of Manual Testing

We are unable to omit the different types of manual testing from our manual testing guide.

Although there are countless varieties of manual testing, we will focus on the most popular ones.

Exploratory Testing

Exploratory testing is typically used by manual testers to learn about new features or to grasp the fundamentals of the program.

There are no rules, and testers investigate systems out of self-interest and initiative. When an exploratory tester feels it's necessary, they conduct exploratory testing.

Usability Testing

Since user behavior and emotions are the basis for evaluating software's usability, conducting usability testing without human participation is impossible.

In order to prevent confusion and frustration among end users, manual testers during usability testing ensure that an application is easy to use, convenient, and intuitive.

GUI Testing

Manual testers inspect fonts, color schemes, windows, buttons, and all other GUI elements and features during the GUI testing process to ensure that there are no mistakes or misunderstandings and that the user experience is optimal.

Localization

Hand testers do localization testing to make sure an application complies with different linguistic and cultural standards.

If an application is meant for a global user base, localization testing is especially crucial.

Compatibility Testing

To make sure an application functions properly with other software, different hardware, a network, etc., compatibility testing is done.

Testing for compatibility takes a lot of time. Because of this, the majority of QA teams choose to automate this procedure. Nevertheless, if it must be done manually, it is advisable to identify the platforms and browsers that are of the highest priority and focus on them.

Smoke Testing

Smoke testing only confirms the application's essential features to determine whether it meets its main goal and is free of serious flaws.

A type of preliminary inspection known as smoke testing is done prior to more thorough, critical testing.

Regression Testing

Before every release, regression testing is carried out to make sure that updates haven't affected already-existing functionalities.

Large-scale, complex application regression testing can take a long time. For this reason, many businesses attempt to automate it when possible.

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The Value Of Manual Testing

The Value Of Manual Testing

As was previously mentioned, some question the value of manual testing. Nonetheless, this claim is readily contested by any qualified QA engineer.

Let's look at a few of the numerous reasons why manual testing is essential. Below are the following advantages of manual testing:

Some Tests Can Only Be Performed By Hand

The user's experience is crucial to quality control. In certain cases, only a human being is capable of carrying out specific tasks and rendering a suitable evaluation.

For example, it is inconceivable to conduct localization or usability testing without human participation. Automated testing cannot verify compatibility or interactions with mobile devices. Only a human can assess an application's performance when it comes to incoming calls and messages, switching between apps at the same time, and wi-fi on and off.

Only Human Testers Are Supported By Automated Testing

While automated testing cannot replace manual testing, it can and should be used in conjunction with it. Manual testing efforts can focus on more creative work, while automated tests save time with repetitive tasks.

The Majority Of Bugs Hide In Odd Places

Even when manual testers adhere to the previously created test cases, they may nevertheless discover bugs in unexpected places.

It is important to keep that in mind. Testers discover a lot of bugs when they are investigating other issues. On the other hand, automated testing is not able to find errors that it is not intended to find.

Automating Small-Scale Projects Is Not Cost-Effective

Automation comes with hefty maintenance costs in addition to large upfront investments. In the long run, automation can be advantageous for large-scale projects.

Automation still wastes money and time for small projects, though.

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Conclusion

Manual testing requires a lot of work and can take a long time. However, maintaining a high standard of software quality is crucial.

Although automated testing has many benefits, it is limited to what it was designed to test; manual testing is more flexible and creative. Automated testing offers wonderful opportunities. There are always things that an automated test cannot find, but a human tester can.

QA teams need to combine automated and manual testing because they are two sides of the same coin and will yield the best results and ensure the highest quality.

Paul
Full Stack Developer

Paul is a highly skilled Full Stack Developer with a solid educational background that includes a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and a Master's degree in Software Engineering, as well as a decade of hands-on experience. Certifications such as AWS Certified Solutions Architect, and Agile Scrum Master bolster his knowledge. Paul's excellent contributions to the software development industry have garnered him a slew of prizes and accolades, cementing his status as a top-tier professional. Aside from coding, he finds relief in her interests, which include hiking through beautiful landscapes, finding creative outlets through painting, and giving back to the community by participating in local tech education programmer.